Alpheus c



(No Model.)

A. G.LIPPINGOTT. STEAM ENGINE INDICATOR.

No. 539,398. Patented May 14, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

ALPHEUS O. LIPPINCOTT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO JAMES L. ROBERTSON, OF SAME PLACE.

STEAM-ENGINE lNDlCATOR.

SIECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 539,398, dated May 14, 1895.

Application filed June 27, 1894. Serial No. 515,861. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALPHEUS O.Ln 1 1u- COTT, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam- Engine Indicators; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements in steam-engine indicators.

The object of the invention is to provide improved simple and inexpensive means whereby, first, the recording device of an indicator can be readily and easily operated; second, to provide for the operation of two or more indicators at the same time, and, third, to render the movement of the card-cylinder and the contact of the marking point or stylus simultaneous.

The invention comprises the novel features of construction, and also the combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view, parts being shown in relatively reduced proportions. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Figs. 3 and t are details.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the pressure-cylinder of any preferred form; a, the stylus arm fulcrumed at a, and pivotally connected at a to the piston-rod, after the ordinary construction in general use. The fulcrum support of this arm is connected to a sleeve a surrounding the upper end of cylinder A, and from which projects an arm a, the lateral movement of which is limited by a pin a and an adjustable handled rod a, said pin extending from a base 6 The stylus or pencil a is carried by arm a at the outer, free end thereof.

13 is the recording or card-carrying cylinder to the lower end of which is secured a ratchetwheel Z), and immediately above the latter is a circumferential groove h in which is designed to fit the cord (not shown) connected to the engine-piston for effecting the rotation of said cylinder. This recording cylinder is normally held stationary by a pawl or stop 0, fulcrumed atd on base a and having a spring (1' bearing upon its outer end. The arm a has a stud d of preferably triangular form, projecting therefrom with which ongages the correspondingly notched portion of a catch (i which latter is pivotally connected at one end to a short lever d fulcrumed at d on base (2 The free ends of lever cl and pawl or stop 0 overlap each other a short distance and in such overlapping portions are formed coincident slots cl.

D is a fluid-pressure device. It comprises a piston e, and a cylinder 6' therefor, from which project two sets of clamping arms 6 designed to be secured to the connecting base 6 Any suitable means may be employed for this purpose. The outer end of the pistonrod e is preferably bent to form a hook e which is extended through the coincident slots d Hence when the piston is moved outward the pawl O is disengaged from contact with the ratchet-wheel of the recording cylinder to permit the turning of the latter, and the catch (1 draws laterally on the arm a and turning sleeve a bringing the stylus point or pencil in contact with the recording surface to effect the recording the same instant that the latter begins to move.

Into the piston-cylinder e of the fluid pressure deviceD opens a fluid-supply pipe E, which may be provided with any number of branches according to the number of indicators employed. This pipe is charged with any suitable fluid, such as air, gas, steam, or water, and to it is connected at any suitable point, a tubefhaving a bulb f at its outer end. By compressing this bulb the fluid confined in the supply-pipe is caused to force the pistons into their cylinders and effect the movement of the pawls and stylus arms as against the action of the spring-pressure thereon.

I have shown the fluid-supply pipe as having a branch leading to asecond indicator f and a third branch to a third indicator);

but it is obvious, however, that any number e access of indicators may be arranged in series and that the recording cylinder and stylus arm of each indicator will be simultaneously set in motion by pressure upon the bulb f, and that upon releasing such pressure the recording cylinders will be prevented by the pawls C from turning and at the same time the stylus or pencil of each indicator'wil-l be removed by the lever 01 and catch (1 from contact with the recording surface.

The advantages of my invention are apparent to those skilled in the art to which it appertains and it will be particularly observed that by means thereof the starting and stopping of the recording cylinder is synchronous with the contact and removal of the stylus or pencil; and also that the simultaneous operation'of a series of indicators can be, controlled from one point, the movement of each reeerdinserlinder nd les bein e eml e d a on a he ame m ms.

It will be understood that]; do not restrict myself to the exact mechanism herein-described since changes maybe made. therein w hout depar n m. th seer f my .1 venti n- I claim as myinvention An e ete a ing ts reeerd n re mov y h n ne er' h ii e o which it is attached, a pivoted sprin-g-preSSQd stop r nerme y h in h' re erd ns e fa at on and m e se e e 'the fl id-pre eure device herein-described, connected to. the outer end of said stop for removing the latteras contact is had between the recording u ac an t les; b' ae yas et o th} 2. An indicator having its recording surface moved by the engine or the liketo which t is et eh d and m a s f he e eai r cording surface stationary when the stylus is u f contac th rew h, and m a s, o itacting said stylus with the recording surface and releasing the latter and permitting the movement thereof simultaneouswith the contact of the stylus, said means for holding the recording surface and the means for controlling the stylus 'arm being operated from a common point substantia ly as set forth. 3. The combination with an indicator, the recording surface of; which is moved by the engineer the likc,'to which it is attached, and the movable stylus, of a stop. and catch designed, respectively, to normally hold said c rdi g u face statie ary an ke p said tylus ou f c n th w t and 'fluidp e su de ice r ev ng a d s p a ea e ,,wii reb-y aid ty s s ve r d n na it and disen aged fr m ai ee di s s fa e a the movem n f the lat is started and stopped, substantially asset forth.

4. The combination with two or morei ndiater e recording Su fa es f. which are eeves by t e en n the i e e wh h i sa ta l ed. t s f ermell ho d a surfaces stationary, fluid-pressure. devices fdr operating said stops and controlling the corn tact between the recording surfaces and stylus, and a pressure-regulator for operating all of said devices simultaneously, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with two or more indicators having movable recording cylinders, stops for normally holding said recording cylinders stationary, thepivotally mounted stylus arms having movable supports, fluid pressure devices having pistons connected to said stops and movable supports, a fluid-supplying pipe opening into said fluid-pressure regulators and a bulb for regulating the pressure in said pipe. and effecting the movement of said pistons, substantially as set forth.

6. In an indicator and recorder, a recording su ac n rma y h d sta ionary, e pri pressedstopfor holdingsaidrecordingsurface, a stylus arm, a spring for. normally holding the sty u ou f ontac w sa ecordi surface, and means connected to said stop and also to said stylus arn1 for'synchronously disn ag ng i ten an ri es he t lus i contact with said recording surface, substantially as set forth.

7. In an indicator and recorder, the combination with themovable recording surface, of the stylus-arm, the laterally-movable support therefor, the fluid-pressure device hav* ing a, pis on, and connections betwe n. said Pi ter and, ai a erally-m vabl upp u s anti l y s set f r rh- 8-. I an nd cato and re orde e e0 hination of the recording-cylinder which is operated by the engine, or the like, to which itis attached, a ratchet-wheel carried by said cylinder, a spring-pressed-pawl engaging said ratehet-w el, th s ylusrm h vin a laterally movable support, a fluid pressure device having its piston connected to said pawl,connections between said piston and said laterally movable support, and a fluid-pressure, bulb or regulator, substantially as set forth,

9 In an indicator and-recorder, the combination of the recording-cylinder which is.

operated by the engine, or the like, to which it is attache-d1 a -i'op. for normally holding sa cy nde ta i nary, th tylu arm, having a la ere ym vable ppo t, a p i pressed catch engaging said support, a'lever to which said catch is connected,a fluid-pressure device having its piston connected to said lever and also to said SIOp, and a fluidpressi re bulb or regulator, substantially as set forth. 7

10. In'an indicator and recorder, the combination of the, recording cylinder having a t l -e iie l i -Pres ed P r e ing said ratchet-wheel, the stylus-arm havins e a ra ly-m vab e supper-e s p jecting therefron1 ,a catch engaging said lug, eries e tieg e i' ai at n? ever tol i h helat e s eenne ted, sa d lever an p w having overlapping slotted end the, fluidtoo pressure device comprising a piston and its specification in the presence of two subscribcylinder said piston having its rod extended ing witnesses. through said slotted ends of said lever and i pawl, the fluid-supply pipe opening into said ALPHEUS LIPPINCOTT' 5 cylinder, and the bulblconnected to said pipe, Witnesses:

substantially as set forth. J. NOTA MOGILL,

In testimony whereof I have signed this WM. S. HODGES. 

